European leaders oppose Trump travel ban, far right applauds

Demonstrators sit down in the concourse and hold a sign that reads “We are America,” as more than 1,000 people gather at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, to protest President Donald Trump’s order that restricts immigration to the US, Saturday, Jan. 28, 2017, in Seattle. President Trump signed an executive order Friday that bans legal US residents and visa-holders from seven Muslim-majority nations from entering the US for 90 days and puts an indefinite hold on a program resettling Syrian refugees. (Photo by GENNA MARTIN/seattlepi.com via AP)

BERLIN — The leaders of Britain and Germany joined other American allies Sunday in criticizing President Donald Trump’s US entry ban for people from some Muslim-majority countries, even as far-right politicians on the continent celebrated the move.

A spokesman for Theresa May said the British Prime Minister does “not agree” with Trump’s order and will challenge the US government if it has an adverse effect on British nationals. The official comment came after May refused to condemn the ban during a visit to Turkey to meet with Turkish leaders. She said in Turkey the decision was a matter solely for the US.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel also regrets the travel ban.

“She is convinced that even the necessary, resolute fight against terrorism doesn’t justify putting people of a particular origin or particular faith under general suspicion,” Merkel spokesman Steffen Seibert said.

Merkel raised the issue during a phone call with Trump on Saturday, citing the 1951 Geneva Refugee Convention that calls on signatories to take in people fleeing war, Seibert said.

“The German government will now examine what consequences the US government’s measures have for German citizens with dual citizenship and, if necessary, represent their interests toward our American partners,” he said.

An initial joint US-German statement following the call made no mention of the topic of refugees or travel bans.

Among the first leaders to voice criticism was French President Francois Hollande, who said Saturday that “when (Trump) rejects the arrival of refugees, while Europe has done its duty, we should respond to him.”

Meanwhile, nationalist and far-right groups in Europe applauded the US travel restrictions.

The Dutch anti-Islam populist Geert Wilders said in a tweet: “Well done @POTUS it’s the only way to stay safe + free. I would do the same. Hope you’ll add more Islamic countries like Saudi Arabia soon.”

Wilders, whose Party for Freedom is polling strongly before the country’s March 15 election, later tweeted: “No more immigration from any Islamic country is exactly what we need. Also in The Netherlands. For Islam and freedom are incompatible.”

The far-right National Democratic Party in Germany celebrated what it described as “the massive restriction on the entry of pseudo-refugees and Muslims to the USA.”

“For the first time ever one can say from a nationalist perspective: keep going, USA,” the party wrote on its official Facebook page.